Ice dispenser for dispensing cubed and crushed ice and related refrigeration appliance

ABSTRACT

An ice dispensing assembly includes an ice bucket for containing ice cubes, with at least a first exit in the ice bucket for the ice cubes. An optional second exit may be provided in the ice bucket for crushed ice made from the ice cubes. One motor moves a rotatable member to move ice from the ice bucket through at least one of the exits. A second motor moves either a crush plate or counter rotating members to create crushed ice. The crushed ice may be dispensed though the first exit or the second exit. Related refrigeration appliances are disclosed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to ice dispensingassemblies that can dispense cubed or crushed ice and to a relatedrefrigeration appliances having such an ice dispenser.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various ice maker and dispenser designs have been proposed forrefrigeration appliances such as commercial or home refrigerators and/orfreezers. Some of these devices dispense crushed ice and ice cubes.

These devices generally dispense ice cubes and crushed ice through thesame outlet with an ice crushing assembly located somewhat “upstream” ofthe dispensing outlet used by the consumer. In such situations, mixingcan occur as switchover happens between crushed and cubed ice, which maybe undesirable in some situations.

Other conventional assemblies use complicated augers and crushers tocreate crushed ice from ice cubes. While these devices generally work asdesired, a less complicated solution would be welcome in someapplications.

Accordingly, an improved design would be welcome for an ice dispenserwhere both cubed and crushed ice can be readily dispensed, and/orwherein ice cubes and crushed ice can be dispensed as desiredseparately.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in thefollowing description, or may be obvious from the description, or may belearned through practice of the invention.

According to certain aspects of the disclosure, an ice dispensingassembly includes an ice bucket for containing ice cubes, with a firstexit in the ice bucket for the ice cubes and a second exit in the icebucket for crushed ice made from the ice cubes. A first motor moves arotatable member to move ice cubes from the ice bucket through the firstexit. A second motor moves two counter-rotating members to grind icecubes from the ice bucket therebetween into crushed ice and to move thecrushed ice through the second exit. Various options and modificationsare possible.

According to certain other aspects of the disclosure, an ice dispensingassembly includes an ice bucket for containing ice cubes, with an exitin the ice bucket for the ice cubes. A first motor moves a rotatablemember to move ice cubes from the ice bucket through the exit. A secondmotor moves a crush element toward or away from the rotatable member,the crush element cooperating with the rotatable member when movedtoward the rotatable member to grind ice cubes from the ice buckettherebetween into crushed ice and to move the crushed ice through theexit. The crush element is spaced from the rotatable member when movedaway so as to allow ice cubes to pass out of the exit without crushingvia rotation of the rotatable member. As above, various options andmodifications are possible.

According to certain aspects of the disclosure, a refrigerationappliance with an ice dispenser includes a refrigerated cabinet and atleast one door, and an ice bucket in one of the refrigerated cabinet ordoor for containing ice cubes. A first exit is located in the ice bucketfor the ice cubes, with a second exit in the ice bucket for crushed icemade from the ice cubes. A first motor moves a rotatable member to moveice cubes from the ice bucket through the first exit and through thedoor. A second motor moves two counter-rotating members to grind icecubes from the ice bucket therebetween into crushed ice and to move thecrushed ice through the second exit and through the door. Variousoptions and modifications are possible.

According to certain other aspects of the disclosure, a refrigerationappliance with an ice dispenser includes a refrigerated cabinet and atleast one door, and an ice bucket in one of the refrigerated cabinet ordoor for containing ice cubes. An exit is provided in the ice bucket forthe ice cubes. A first motor moves a rotatable member to move ice cubesfrom the ice bucket through the exit and through the door. A secondmotor moves a crush element toward or away from the rotatable member,the crush element cooperating with the rotatable member when movedtoward the rotatable member to grind ice cubes from the ice buckettherebetween into crushed ice and to move the crushed ice through theexit and through the door. The crush element is spaced from therotatable member when moved away so as to allow ice cubes to pass out ofthe exit and through the door without crushing via rotation of therotatable member. As above, various options and modifications arepossible.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdescription and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which areincorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrateembodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including thebest mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is setforth in the specification, which makes reference to the appendedfigures, in which:

FIG. 1 provides a front view of a refrigeration appliance with its doorsclosed;

FIG. 2 provides a front view of the refrigeration appliance of FIG. 1with its doors opened;

FIG. 3 provides a diagrammatical front view of an ice dispensingassembly according to certain aspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 provides a diagrammatical top view of ice dispensing assembly ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 provides a diagrammatical front view of an alternate icedispensing assembly according to certain aspects of the presentdisclosure; and

FIG. 6 provides a diagrammatical top view of ice dispensing assembly ofFIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention,one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Eachexample is provided by way of explanation of the invention, notlimitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be madein the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as partof one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a stillfurther embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present inventioncovers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of an exemplary refrigeration appliance 10depicted as a refrigerator in which dispenser target indicatingassemblies in accordance with aspects of the present invention may beutilized. It should be appreciated that the appliance of FIG. 1 is forillustrative purposes only and that the present invention is not limitedto any particular type, style, or configuration of refrigerationappliance, and that such appliance may include any manner ofrefrigerator, freezer, refrigerator/freezer combination, and so forth.The present disclosure may be especially suitable for a compactrefrigerator and/or freezer appliance where space is at a premium and anice-making capability is desired. However, the disclosed ice-makingassembly may be used with any such appliance.

Referring to FIG. 2 the refrigerator 10 includes a fresh food storagecompartment 12 and a freezer storage compartment 14, with thecompartments arranged side-by-side and contained within an outer case 16and inner liners 18 and 20 generally made from a suitable plastic ormetal material. In smaller refrigerators 10, a single liner is formedand a mullion spans between opposite sides of the liner to divide itinto a freezer storage compartment and a fresh food storage compartment.The outer case 16 is normally formed by folding a sheet of a suitablematerial, such as pre-painted steel, into an inverted U-shape to formtop and side walls of the outer case 16. A bottom wall of the outer case16 normally is formed separately and attached to the case side walls andto a bottom frame that provides support for refrigerator 10.

A breaker strip 22 extends between a case front flange and outer frontedges of inner liners 18 and 20. The breaker strip 22 is formed from asuitable resilient material, such as an extrudedacrylo-butadiene-styrene based material (commonly referred to as ABS).The insulation in the space between inner liners 18 and 20 is covered byanother strip of suitable resilient material, which also commonly isreferred to as a mullion 24 and may be formed of an extruded ABSmaterial. Breaker strip 22 and mullion 24 form a front face, and extendcompletely around inner peripheral edges of the outer case 16 andvertically between inner liners 18 and 20.

Slide-out drawers 26, a storage bin 28 and shelves 30 are normallyprovided in fresh food storage compartment 12 to support items beingstored therein. In addition, at least one shelf 30 and at least one wirebasket 32 are also provided in freezer storage compartment 14.

The refrigerator features are controlled by a controller 34 according touser preference via manipulation of a control interface 36 mounted in anupper region of fresh food storage compartment 12 and coupled to thecontroller 34. As used herein, the term “controller” is not limited tojust those integrated circuits referred to in the art as microprocessor,but broadly refers to computers, processors, microcontrollers,microcomputers, programmable logic controllers, application specificintegrated circuits, and other programmable circuits, and these termsare used interchangeably herein.

A freezer door 38 and a fresh food door 40 close access openings tofreezer storage compartment 14 and fresh food storage compartment 12.Each door 38, 40 is mounted by a top hinge 42 and a bottom hinge (notshown) to rotate about its outer vertical edge between an open position,as shown in FIG. 1, and a closed position. The freezer door 38 mayinclude a plurality of storage shelves 44 and a sealing gasket 46, andfresh food door 40 also includes a plurality of storage shelves 48 and asealing gasket 50.

The freezer storage compartment 14 may include an automatic ice maker 52and a dispenser 54 provided in the freezer door 38 such that ice and/orchilled water can be dispensed without opening the freezer door 38, asis well known in the art. Doors 38 and 40 may be opened by handles 56 isconventional. A housing 58 may hold a water filter 60 used to filterwater for the ice maker 52 and/or dispenser 54.

As with known refrigerators, the refrigerator 10 also includes amachinery compartment (not shown) that at least partially containscomponents for executing a known vapor compression cycle for coolingair. The components include a compressor, a condenser, an expansiondevice, and an evaporator connected in series as a loop and charged witha refrigerant. The evaporator is a type of heat exchanger whichtransfers heat from air passing over the evaporator to the refrigerantflowing through the evaporator, thereby causing the refrigerant tovaporize. The cooled air is used to refrigerate one or more refrigeratoror freezer compartments via fans. Also, a cooling loop can be added todirectly cool the ice maker to form ice cubes, and a heating loop can beadded to help remove ice from the ice maker. Collectively, the vaporcompression cycle components in a refrigeration circuit, associatedfans, and associated compartments are conventionally referred to as asealed system. The construction and operation of the sealed system arewell known to those skilled in the art.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an ice dispensing assembly 100 includes anice bucket 102 that can be mounted within refrigeration appliance 10. Asshown, ice bucket 102 is mounted to an interior of freezer door 38,although it could be mounted to the refrigerator door 40 as well, or inthe refrigerator compartment 12 or freezer compartment 14. Ice maker 52(shown in dotted lines) would be most likely mounted in freezercompartment 14 if ice bucket 102 is mounted to freezer door 38 so thatice cubes 104 can drop from the ice maker into the ice bucket when made.However, as is known, ice maker 52 could be mounted in refrigeratorcompartment 12 and cooled in some way, such as by providing cooled airfrom freezer compartment to the area of the ice maker to cool itsufficiently to make ice. Accordingly, it should be understood thatvarious options are possible for mounting ice bucket 102 and ice maker52 within refrigerated appliance 10, its various compartments or itsdoors.

Ice bucket 102 includes side walls 106 and a bottom wall 108. A firstexit 110 and a second exit 112 are provided in bottom wall 108. Bothexits lead to a conduit 114 that leads eventually to an opening (notshown) through door 38 within dispenser 54. Trapdoors, seals, etc. maybe provided between the exits and the dispenser for thermal reasons asis known, either within the exits or below.

A first motor 116 is provided for moving a rotatable member 118 to moveice cubes 104 from ice bucket 102 through first exit 110. As shown, icecubes 104 that drop from ice maker 52 will fall to the bottom area ofice bucket 102 near rotatable member 118 and first exit 110. Eventually,enough ice can be made to fully cover this area. If desired, rotatablemember 118 may be concentrically or non-concentrically mounted on shaft120. Mounting rotatable member 118 non-concentrically may allow ice tobe “throttled” downward more forcefully through exit 110 while breakingup clumps and pulling accumulated ice down from above. If desired,rotatable member 118 may have a ridged, grooved, etc. outer surface 122to assist in grabbing and pushing ice. Alternatively, rotatable member118 could be concentrically mounted but have a somewhat non-uniformsurface 122 shape to assist in moving ice as desired. Rotating element120, when stopped, also provides a “shut off” to stop the flow of ice tothe exit at the end of the dispense cycle.

A second motor 124 is provided to move two counter-rotating members 126to grind ice cubes 104 from the ice bucket 102 between them into crushedice and to move the crushed ice through the second exit 112. As shown,counter-rotating members 126 are mounted to shafts 128 connected viagearing 130 at a base end near second motor 124. The spacing betweenshafts 128 and/or the diameter of members 126 may be selected to providecrushed ice of a desired size. Members 126 may have teeth, as shown, orother shapes to help pull ice cubes 104 down between the members forcrushing and pass them toward second exit 112. If desired, a guide 132may be provided proximate counter rotating members 126 for guiding icecubes to and through the counter rotating members. As shown, guide 132is cup shaped and extends upward above exit 112. Use of such guide helpsdirect ice cubes in the right direction toward the crushingcounter-rotating members and also keeps crushed ice from missing secondexit 112, either to fall in the bottom of ice bucket 102 or passing outfirst exit 110.

Ice dispensing assembly 100 therefore provides a simple and reliablesource of both ice cubes and crushed ice. The feeds of crushed ice andice cubes are not mixed, so a user gets only what is desired, not thetail end of a previously dispensed quantity of cubed or crushed ice. Thedual motors allow each side of the ice bucket to operate independently.Complicated auger mechanisms are avoided.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another example of an ice dispensing assembly. Asshown, assembly 200 also includes an ice bucket 202 mounted to a freezerdoor 38, although it could be mounted to the refrigerator door 40 aswell, or in the refrigerator compartment 12 or freezer compartment 14.Therefore, as above, various optional locations and arrangements arepossible.

Ice bucket 202 has only one exit 210 in the bottom wall 208. A firstmotor 216 moves a rotatable member 218 to move ice cubes 104 from theice bucket through the exit. Rotatable member 218 as shown isconcentrically mounted on shaft 220 and has a plurality of teeth forgripping and pulling down ice cubes.

A second motor 224 moves a crush element 225 toward or away from therotatable member 218. Second motor 224 may accordingly be a solenoidmotor. As shown, the crush element 225 is a plate slidable on a ramp 227formed atop bottom wall 208 or side wall 202. A distal end of 229 oframp 227 extends into or over exit 210. Crush 225 element is movablebetween a first position toward rotatable member 218 (as in FIG. 5) anda second position away from the rotatable member (see FIG. 6). When inthe position toward rotatable member 218, crush member 225 narrows thewidth of the passageway for ice cubes moving downward through exit 210,thereby cooperating with the rotatable member when rotated to grind icecubes into crushed ice. The crush element 225 also serves as a “shutoff” over the exit when the ice dispense cycle is over and rotatingelement 218 is no longer turning. When pulled back from rotatable member218, crush element 225 allows ice cubes to pass out of exit 210 withoutcrushing via rotation of the rotatable member. In other words, whenmoved back, crush element 225 provides enough space for ice cubes to bepulled down and passed through exit 210 without being crushed. Structure231 may be provided on an output shaft 228 of second motor 224, such asan eccentric, a slider, a rack and pinion arrangement, etc., to allowcrush element 225 to slide back and forth under the direction of thesecond motor.

Accordingly, the device of FIGS. 5 and 6 provides a reliable and simpleice dispensing assembly 200 for providing cubed or crushed ice asdesired. Again, complicated auger mechanisms are avoided, and two smallmotors are used for the various functionality.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the invention, including making and using any devices orsystems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope ofthe invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examplesthat occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intendedto be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elementsthat do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if theyinclude equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differencesfrom the literal languages of the claims.

1. An ice dispensing assembly comprising: an ice bucket for containingice cubes; a first exit in the ice bucket for the ice cubes; a secondexit in the ice bucket for crushed ice made from the ice cubes; a firstmotor for moving a rotatable member to move ice cubes from the icebucket through the first exit; and a second motor for moving twocounter-rotating members to grind ice cubes from the ice buckettherebetween into crushed ice and to move the crushed ice through thesecond exit.
 2. The ice dispensing assembly of claim 1, wherein thefirst exit and the second exit are located laterally adjacent each otherin a bottom portion of the ice bucket.
 3. The ice dispensing assembly ofclaim 1, wherein a guide is provided proximate the counter rotatingmembers for guiding ice cubes to and through the counter rotatingmembers.
 4. The ice dispensing assembly of claim 1, wherein therotatable member is mounted non-concentrically with reference to a shaftdriven by the first motor.
 5. An ice dispensing assembly comprising: anice bucket for containing ice cubes; an exit in the ice bucket for theice cubes; a first motor for moving a rotatable member to move ice cubesfrom the ice bucket through the exit; and a second motor for moving acrush element toward or away from the rotatable member, the crushelement cooperating with the rotatable member when moved toward therotatable member to grind ice cubes from the ice bucket therebetweeninto crushed ice and to move the crushed ice through the exit, the crushelement being spaced from the rotatable member when moved away so as toallow ice cubes to pass out of the exit without crushing via rotation ofthe rotatable member.
 6. The ice dispensing assembly of claim 5, whereinthe second motor is a solenoid motor.
 7. The ice dispensing assembly ofclaim 5, wherein the crush element is a plate mounted on a rampextending at an angle to the exit.
 8. The ice dispensing assembly ofclaim 7, wherein the plate has a first end that extends over a distalend of the ramp when moved toward the rotatable member.
 9. Arefrigeration appliance with an ice dispenser comprising: a refrigeratedcabinet and at least one door; an ice bucket in one of the refrigeratedcabinet or door for containing ice cubes; a first exit in the ice bucketfor the ice cubes; a second exit in the ice bucket for crushed ice madefrom the ice cubes; a first motor for moving a rotatable member to moveice cubes from the ice bucket through the first exit and through thedoor; and a second motor for moving two counter-rotating members togrind ice cubes from the ice bucket therebetween into crushed ice and tomove the crushed ice through the second exit and through the door. 10.The refrigeration appliance of claim 9, wherein the first exit and thesecond exit are located laterally adjacent each other in a bottomportion of the ice bucket and over a conduit leading to an outlet in thedoor.
 11. The refrigeration appliance of claim 9, wherein a guide isprovided proximate the counter rotating members for guiding ice cubes toand through the counter rotating members.
 12. The refrigerationappliance of claim 9, wherein the rotatable member is mountednon-concentrically with reference to a shaft driven by the first motor.13. The refrigeration appliance of claim 9, wherein an ice maker ismounted in the refrigeration appliance above the ice bucket forproviding the ice cubes.
 14. A refrigeration appliance with an icedispenser comprising: a refrigerated cabinet and at least one door; anice bucket in one of the refrigerated cabinet or the door for containingice cubes; an exit in the ice bucket for the ice cubes; a first motorfor moving a rotatable member to move ice cubes from the ice bucketthrough the exit and through the door; and a second motor for moving acrush element toward or away from the rotatable member, the crushelement cooperating with the rotatable member when moved toward therotatable member to grind ice cubes from the ice bucket therebetweeninto crushed ice and to move the crushed ice through the exit andthrough the door, the crush element being spaced from the rotatablemember when moved away so as to allow ice cubes to pass out of the exitand through the door without crushing via rotation of the rotatablemember.
 15. The refrigeration appliance of claim 14, wherein the secondmotor is a solenoid motor.
 16. The refrigeration appliance of claim 15,wherein the crush element is a plate mounted on a ramp extending at anangle to the exit.
 17. The refrigeration appliance of claim 15, whereinthe plate has a first end that extends over a distal end of the rampwhen moved toward the rotatable member.
 18. The refrigeration applianceof claim 15, wherein an ice maker is mounted in the refrigerationappliance above the ice bucket for providing the ice cubes.